Racial discrimination in Nursing....

If a group of nurses chooses to isolate themselves, and speak only their own language, naturally, other nurses are going to feel left out and snubbed by this cliquishness. I know Fillipino nurses may be doing this because THEY feel isolated and alone in a new country, however, they are leaving themselves wide open to anger and misunderstanding from others. "What's the matter...aren't we good enough for them? What are they talking about...bet they're saying nasty things about us, behind our backs!" It's only human to think this way!

This sticking together and talking in Tagalog can cause another problem. It can prevent a nurse from developing fluency in English. I've run into numerous Filipino nurses who have great difficulty with English. As a matter of fact, just last week, I was speaking with the charge nurse at the nursing home where my dad is living. I explained to her FOUR TIMES why I didn't want my dad on a certain medication, and it was still obvious to both myself AND the physiotherapist sitting beside her that she just was not understanding me, because of her poor skills in English.

All the things I've listed above can contribute to prejudice. But, there's a cure for them all. I used to do relief assignments at a nursing home that had several Filipinos on the night staff. They spoke with each other in Tagalog, but always made an effort to include me in their conversation, if I wasn't busy with something else. When I was done my work, and the one nurse continued to speak in Tagalog, one of the others rebuked her: "It's not polite to do that when there's someone here who doesn't understand!" she said. They were open, friendly, and always eager to help me out, and I enjoyed working with them.

I think the root of prejudice is lack of understanding of another person and their culture. This comes from poor communication. If people are willing to be open with each other, and try to communicate and understand, bridges can be built, even where there is a language barrier. Our next door neighbours had their Italian grandmother living with them. She spoke scarcely a word of English, and I speak almost no Italian, but we had a common language: gardening!! Each spring she would be out there, her cane in one hand and her hoe or shovel in the other! We had many 'chats' over the back fence about gardening. It was a sad, sad day when she passed away from an embolism.

oooohh..that was a sad ending but very inspiring Jay jay..I hope Filipina nurses who have read these posts will learn a lot from what you have said. This will reaaly improve ties...

I am right now in South Korea..which is a non English speaking country..with my sis. On this vacation..I had a grand time not using our Tagalog language at all in public..My sister and I got to talk English for 8 hours in her school who has Korean English speaking teachers. Sometimes both of us are all alone in halls anc corners but still we continue to speak English...we forgot..that we could talk in Tagalog .They tried their best to speak to us in English too. In this way...we meet at the center..and ola!! have we a lot of Friends!!!

There is definitely some racism and reverse racism in nursing.

One hospital I worked at started a buddy program for new foreign nurses (mainly Phillipino, but also asian and european). I oriented a Philipino nurse and after the unit orientation was done we still got together about once a week for coffee or dinner or shopping or whatever. It gave the new nurses a resource in a strange new country and made them feel more welcome. Plus it helped with those of us who feel a bit insecure about being the only one in the room not speaking Tagalog! The philipino nurses still had a special comradery amongst themselves, but they also each had a special friendship with a Canadian nurse, so no one felt left out. It was a great program (especially when we had a potluck! Philipino's have some YUMMY food!).

Now, that was one enlightened hospital, Fergus! There should be more programs like that.

Racism or not, I wouldn't know. I do know that the one floor I refuse to work on has a BYTCH for a charge nurse, she happens to be Filipina, and she is the reason I refuse to work there.

Originally posted by memphispanda

It may not be discrimination at all. It may be that your friend is a dedicated worker who actually believes in properly taking care of her patients and many of her co-workers do the bare minimum. Working on the weekends, I have seen the nurses who are sitting at the desk chatting at least half their shift, and they come in all colors. They are the ones who aren't doing any patient teaching and really aren't doing much more than passing meds and telling other people (especially MAs) to go do something.

This was my first thought too. It happens everywhere and has nothing to do with race.

I will say tho that in my 28yrs of nursing, the one single most difficult, pushy, annoying, arrogant nurse I ever worked with happened to be from the Philipines. But, I didn't judge others by her standard....... she set the record all on her own!

I've worked with many Filipino nurses over the years..most seem very caring and have so much energy..only came in contact with one dooozie of a nurse..who happened to be Philipino..she knew everything and no matter how hard you tried to explain to her ,she wouldn't admit she was wrong..very hard-headed little woman she was..lol..but she was only one out of many wonderful nurses..I guess every country has to have at least one B*tch..hehe

My Take.

Nursing has changed. I have watched the waves of shortages and how they were handled over the years. Every unit I visit when I work staff relief looks like the united nations , and I am usually the only Caucasian nurse on the entire unit. Hatian Nurses have always been kind to me, and by themselves they speak Creole.

Jamaican Nurses have always shared nice stories as most older Jamaican Nurses went to Nursing school in England. I was a recent post op and still had (not to be indelicate) an abdominal gas pain problem. The senior Jamaican Nurse told me just what I needed and made me a cup of "ginger Tea".....heated up ginger ale in the microwave and used it to brew a tea bag in, Fixed the discomfort right away.

Seems these kinds of problems go away when a pot luck dinner is planned, and cultural foods are shared.

well..I just hope Filipinos would play a majority role in keeping the hospital a better place to work...for incoming new nurses. I and more Filipino nurses will definitely be working in the U.S. in the year or years to come..and I just wish we would'nt be the ones who you guys have been saying about..(the ones you wouldn't wish to work with).

..I feel really bad when I read stories about how these Filipino nurses acted in their bad characters...well...maybe these are the ones that we too, here in our country experienced or have worked with who we wish...would someday "vanish" and be gone forever:chuckle

Maybe...all nations have these kind of nurses..and its just that the U.S. has been now filled with lots of Filipino nurses..that is why the percentage of having these rude nurses are getting to be noticed.

Originally posted by Jay-Jay

Now, that was one enlightened hospital, Fergus! There should be more programs like that.

Well, it was started by a staff nurse. It was as simple as asking for people interested in orienting/buddying new staff to sign up on a sheet at the nursing station. Sometimes good ideas are also incredibly simple and easy!

Originally posted by Teshiee

I personally think America is the most racist country in the world. I am just glad my parents didn't teach me to be so ignorant.

How on earth did you arrive at that conclusion???

People never go to the original post to see what the actual thread is supposed to be about,

they just spew the garbage of the day

This person is wrong, her parents taught her too well.

Originally posted by Teshiee

I personally think America is the most racist country in the world. I am just glad my parents didn't teach me to be so ignorant.